Foreign-Trade Zone 81 -- Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Application for
Special-Purpose Subzone at Manchester Manufacturing Plant in Colebrook
TEXT: An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board (the
Board) by the New Hampshire Port Authority, grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone 81,
requesting authority for a special-purpose subzone at the facilities of Manchester
Manufacturing, Inc. (MMI) in Colebrook, New Hampshire, within the Norton
Customs port of entry. The application was submitted pursuant to the provisions of
the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), and the regulations
of the Board (15 CFR Part 400). It was formally filed on May 5, 1983. The applicant
is authorized to make this proposal under Section 271-A:11 of the New Hampshire
RSA.
On January 20, 1983, the Board authorized the Port Authority to establish a
foreign-trade zone (Board Order 207, 48 FR 4308, 1/31/83) in Portsmouth and a
subzone at Nashua Corporation facilities in Nashua and Merrimack. The
general-purpose zone covers 10 acres at the Port of Portsmouth.
The proposed subzone will comprise MMI's 180,000 square foot manufacturing
and warehousing facility, employing some 160 persons, and located on a 15-acre
site in the Colebrook Industrial Park. The company manufactures children's
outerwear from domestic piece goods, and warehouses some imported apparel. This
request is part of MMI's plans to expand its operations relating to the warehousing
of imported apparel of all types. In expanding its operations at the plant, the
company would undertake the repair and ornamenting of imported garments.
Zone procedures would be used to defer the payment of Customs duties and are
being requested to provide a Customs setting for the inspection and repair of
imported garments prior to entry. This would result in a greater utilization of the
plant, helping to make the company more competitive as a warehouse center for its
major retail customer. By increasing the capacity utilization of the Colebrook facility,
unit overhead costs on both manufacturing and warehousing operations will be
reduced. The resulting lower costs will help this plant regain its competitive position
as a manufacturer in relation to the company's plants abroad, leading to a potential
increase in employment of 100 persons.
In accordance with the Board's regulations, an examiners committee has been
appointed to investigate the application and report to the Board. The committee
consists of: Dennis Puccinelli (Chairman), Foreign-Trade Zones Staff, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230; Edward A. Goggin, Assistant
Regional Commissioner, U.S. Customs Service, Northeast Region, 100 Summer St.,
Boston, MA 02210; and Colonel Carl B. Sciple, Division Engineer, U.S. Army
Engineer Division New England, 424 Trapelo Rd., Waltham, MA 02254.
Comments concerning the proposed subzone are invited in writing from interested
persons and organizations. They should be addressed to the Board's Executive
Secretary at the address below and postmarked on or before June 20, 1983.
A copy of the application is available for public inspection at each of the following
locations:
Port Director's Office,
U.S. Customhouse,
Norton, VT 05907
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1872,
14th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, D.C. 20230.
Dated: May 6, 1983.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 83-12883 Filed 5-12-83; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-25-M